This is the third of the articles in the series “Marketing
Your Service Website like a Retailer”. This article will
focus on the organization of your website. There is a reason why
retailers place their products on the shelves the way they do.
Grocery stores, for example, place great importance on the layout
of the store as it guides you through each aisle so you can see
(and be tempted by) all the delicious items available for you to
take home. What can we learn about website design by studying
grocery store layouts?

When you first come into the doors of a grocery store you will
likely encounter one of three departments: bakery, floral or
produce. Why? Because these three departments have the most sensory
appeal. You may be attracted by the smell of the baked goods or the
colors of the produce or flowers. They grab your attention the
moment you walk into the store. Alternatively, another layout may
be to place the staples far away from each other. For example, milk
at the far end of the store while bread is available when you first
walk into the store. The psychology of that is to draw through the
store to force you to see the other items available for sale. It
works! How many times do we say “I only came in for a few
items” and we walk out with a cart full?
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